AMD Phenom II X2 560 BE Review

Processors with unlocked multipliers are sort of like the Holy Grail of overclocking. AMD’s Black Edition (BE) chips, similar to the Intel K series, offer this versatility to enthusiasts. Recently, AMD introduced several new processors and one of these is the Phenom II X2 560 BE. This is just a small increase in stock multiplier above the existing Phenom II X2 555 BE processor (16.5 vs. 16) and a small increase in price ($105 vs. $88), but the silicon should be stronger which should result in better overclocking and core unlocking.

Phenom II Logo (picture courtesy AMD)

For those of you who aren’t familiar with unlocked multipliers, it is another tool in the overclocker’s arsenal. The important distinction is that you can increase the multiplier, rather than just lower it as on typical processors. Without the ability to increase the multiplier, the only way to overclock is by increasing the FSB (Base Clock or HT Reference) which can put too much stress on other components. Having the ability to tweak both the multiplier and the FSB gives overclockers much more control and flexibility.

Specifications

Our victim: the new 560

Product Name: Phenom II™ X2 560 Black Edition Processor

Model Number & Core Frequency: X2 560 / 3.3GHz

OPN: HDZ560WFK2DGM

L1 Cache Sizes: 64K of L1 instruction and 64K of L1 data cache per core (256KB total L1 per processor)

X2 is the same die as the X4 but has only half the cores activated (picture courtesy AMD)

Let’s compare that to the 555:

Frequency: 3.2GHz (16*200 MHz)

Total L2 Cache: 1MB

Packaging: Socket AM3

Thermal Design Power: 80W

Process Technology: 45nm SOI

The processors are essentially the same except for the stock multiplier. Like the 555 and other Phenom II X2 processors they are the same exact die as the X4 chips but with two of the cores deactivated. They are binned down, which means the two other cores were not strong enough to run at stock specs but does not mean they will not work at all. This is great news for enthusiasts: with certain motherboards like the Biostar TA890FXE used in this review, you can enable the two hidden cores and hopefully (with a little more voltage supplied to the processor) have yourself a quad core (X4) processor for the price of an dual core (X2). Similarly, the stock multiplier bump to 16.5 could mean that these 560’s are better silicon than the 555’s, which could hint at better overclocking performance.

Performance

Marketing can often be deceiving, but benchmarks never lie… or something like that. At any rate, I have put this 560 through several hours of torture to see what it is really capable of. I’ll be using the same Biostar TA890FXE that I previously reviewed which will allow me to compare the numbers this processor achieves to those of the Athlon II X4 640. I’d have liked to see directly how this does compared to the 555, but unfortunately I don’t have one at my disposal. I’ve used the numbers from HWBot for a frame of reference. There is much more diversity in the hardware used in the HWBot database, so ther numbers aren’t directly comparable but will still give a good idea of relative performance.

HWBot data for the Phenom II X2 555 BE:

Single Task: Average Super Pi 1M – 16.703 s

Multitasking: Average wPrime 32M – 15.124 s

Average Overclock (MHz): 2x 3200 (4531)

The table data is from all submissions with all types of cooling, including dry ice and liquid nitrogen, but the averages shouldn’t be too far off from what is possible on air. Filtering the data a little, I found the maximum overclock with air cooling was 4630 MHz with 1.62 V. Knowing that, the 4531 MHz average listed above looks achievable.

Testing platform:

Processor: AMD Phenom II X2 560 Black Edition

Motherboard: Biostar TA890FXE

Memory: G.Skill 2x 1 GB DDR3-2000 Trident

Power Supply: NZXT HALE90 850 W

Heat sink: Zalman CNPS-9900

Results

When overclocking this chip, I was able to reach a maximum overclock of 4300 MHz, which is just shy of my goal of 4500 MHz. When running tests, I was only able to complete them all at a maximum of 4133 MHz. I was able to pass a 1 hour test of OCCT at that speed, but did not have time to test if that was 4 hour Prime 95 stable. I was also able to reach a maximum HT Reference of 290 MHz, which is higher than I was able to achieve when running the Athlon II X4 640. What’s even more exciting is that I was able to unlock to 4 cores and run 10 minutes of Prime95 at 4 GHz (20 x 200 MHz). This is impressive to me since I borrowed a Phenom II X2 555 to test the unlock feature when I first reviewed the Biostar TA890FXE but I could not get that processor stable with 4 cores even at stock speed.

Unlocked to X4 running at 4 GHz

People use their computers for several reasons, many of which can benefit from increased performance. Synthetic benchmarks try to emulate the real world performance but it doesn’t always translate perfectly. At the same time, rendering benchmarks like Cinebench are much better at showing actual performance for the task they are designed to simulate. Screen shots with stock scores are included in the gallery at the end of the article.

Everest CPU AES at 4133 MHz

Everest CPU Photoworxx at 4133 MHz

Everest CPU Zlib at 4133 MHz

Everest CPU Queen at 4133 MHz

Everest FPU Julia at 4133 MHz

Everest FPU Mandel at 4133 MHz

Everest FPU SinJulia at 4133 MHz

Cinebench R10 at 4133 MHz

Cinebench R11 at 4133 MHz

Additionally, we have the results that matter to competitive overclockers: SuperPi, PiFast, wPrime, and 3DMark. These may translate in to real world performance, but the boints (bot points on HWBot) matter so much more! The Athlon II X4 tests were run at different speeds according to what settings would allow the processor to pass the test. I pulled the numbers straight from my Biostar TA890FXE review, so check that out for more details.

Super Pi 1M, wPrime 32M, and pifast

wPrime 1024, Super pi 32M, 3DMark Vantage, and 3DMark 06

Super Pi 1M at 4133 MHz

PiFast at 4133 MHz

wPrime at 4133 MHz

Super Pi 32M at 4133 MHz

3DMark Vantage at 4133 MHz

3DMark 06 at 4133 MHz

Conclusion

The Phenom II X2 560 BE is a welcome addition to the Black Edition family and is a normal product refresh. It doesn’t overclock particularly better than the 555, but the silicon is a little more stable allowing you to essentially have a Phenom II X4 on the cheap. Considering the 560 retails around $105 and the X4 970 retails around $185, this is a perfect example of where overclocking gets more value for your dollar. If you want a fantastic overclocking chip, you’ll have to look elsewhere, but this processor certainly holds it’s own and shouldn’t be completely overlooked.

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This is the best processor in the market, with its hyper threading technology allows each processor to run simultaneously making a dual-core processor run like a quad-core. the best in gaming and in business, with no hassle free uprgades. this is the best way to spend you're money with. with a 3.3GHz CPU speed its definitely the best.

Well...benchmark scores are measured in the thousands typically. Games are measured in the dozens, if that. It's harder to increase one FPS than it is 100 points. FWIW.

That's why I always try to look at them in terms of percent increase/decrease between scores. It keeps me more focused on what is actually happening rather than getting stuck in that numbers game. "Oh, look, those settings gave me 100 points more than those other settings!"

(Yeah, 100 out of 20,000 - big deal. There's more error in the test than that! :rolleyes: )

I bought the AMD 560 on PR sale @ Fry's for $80! I popped it into my new ASUS CROSSHAIR IV Formula mobo($195)and it unlock a 3rd core, so I have an x3 B60 CPU core. What's great about my piece of silicon is, I've have it at 4.2Ghz @1.40v. Yes, 4.2Ghz @ 1.4 volts running Sandra Lite & Prime 95 no problems for 2 hours (temps 42-45c)!

I must be really selfish, because I wanted the 4th core to unlock, but now, I realize it's more important to have a solid chip that overclocks higher and at lower voltages. I currently have a Zalman copper 9700 which is an okay average cooler, got it brand new for $20 mounted with IC 7 Carat paste. When I get my Lian Li B71 rig($150) complete with additional/better cooling fans and a good CPU cooler, I'll run my OC tests.

I say the deal/value with this AMD Phenom II x2 560 BE is EXCELLENT... would of been OUSTANDING if the 4th core unlock. I know I'll be able to run this 560 running 4.5Ghz in the future.